Must-read romantic suspense: 'Tinderbox' by Rachel Grant

In the volatile tinderbox of the Horn of Africa, Morgan Adler has made the paleoanthropological find of a lifetime. The discovery brings her to the attention of a warlord eager to claim both Morgan and the fossils, forcing her to make a desperate dash to the nearby US military base to beg for protection.

Master Sergeant Pax Blanchard has orders to intercept Dr. Adler before she reaches the base, and in so doing saves her life. After a harrowing afternoon he safely delivers her to his commanders, only to find his responsibilities toward protecting the obstinate archaeologist have only just begun.

Morgan and Pax are forced to work together in the Djiboutian desert heat, but it is the fire that ignites between them that threatens to combust them both. For the Green Beret, involvement with the woman he must protect is a threat to his career, while for the archaeologist, the soldier is everything she never wanted but somehow can’t resist. When Morgan uncovers a mystery surrounding Djibouti’s most scarce and vital resource, the danger to her reaches the flashpoint. For Pax, protecting her is no longer a matter of following orders, and he’ll risk everything to bring her back alive.

Why you should read it: Not only is Tinderbox a must-read, it’s my favorite book so far this year. This is seriously seductive romantic suspense, with a delicious and relentless heat. The hero smolders, the heroine has a temper the hero excels at igniting, the backdrop is the blistering desert, things tend to burst into flames around the main characters and the sexual tension? Wowser. Pardon me while I go drape myself over an iceberg.

“Why don’t you buy me a drink to apologize for insulting me, and we’ll talk?” he asked.

She’d been so rude to him, a drink would never cover it. “I’m sorry,” she said as she waved the bartender over.

Pax’s drink was served in a flash, and he chuckled. “I’ve never been served here that quickly.” His gaze flicked over her chest.

She gave a sheepish smile. “Putting the girls on display does have advantages. But, in my defense, this was the only shirt they left me, and I didn’t pick the size.”

Pax snorted. “If you were my sister, I’d be glued to your side with my weapon handy.”

“And if I weren’t your sister?”

He took a sip of his drink and gave her the exact right kind of appreciative look. Nothing creepy, just a sweep of his eyes that said he liked what he saw. “Same position, different weapon.”

The characterization is inspired. Pax is such a he-man. He’s gritty, sexy, infuriating, charming and honorable — until Morgan selfishly coaxes him into betraying his code of ethics in a brilliant and believable complication. Morgan has no choice but to acknowledge she’s spoiled, which is exactly what she’d been trying to convince him she wasn’t. But Pax is too infatuated to hold it against her for long. She’s loyal, determined and, to Pax’s continued frustration, impulsive. She also blows him away with her martial arts capabilities and her knowledge of guns. I love that. He’s just as capable of admitting he’s wrong — his quiet arrogance does get him into trouble from time to time. But oh, my gosh, his respect for Morgan as an equal will weaken your knees, and her concern for his men will warm your heart.

And oh, how he wants her.

She had the sweetest lips that said the foulest things. The woman was Barbie’s raunchy alter ego.

But as much as these characters have in common — they’re both passionate about what they do, they’re damned good at their jobs, and they’re both very private — the author has given them solid and fascinating motivation for keeping their distance. Pax has already suffered once for getting tangled up with a general’s daughter, and because of Morgan’s challenges with her emotionally stunted father, she swore she’d never again get involved with a military man. What’s really clever about these characters is how they evolve. We see it, and feel their pain as their worlds implode. Meanwhile their frank, earthy, ardent byplay will keep you captivated.

Tinderbox is raw and energetic, thrills-wise and sex-wise, and offers an exceptional combination of humor, suspense, romance and archaeological details that are always intriguing and never intrusive. This first book in Rachel Grant’s Flashpoint series is unexpected and intense from the get-go. With irresistible characters, a rare setting and an inventive, high-powered plot, it’s a smartly crafted gem of a story.

Kathy Altman’s latest contemporary romance novel is Tempting the Sheriff. Kathy prefers her chocolate with nuts, her Friday afternoons with wine and her love stories with happy ever afters. Her website is kathyaltman.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook.